As his top deputies resign, one of Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister’s former detectives is calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to start an independent investigation.
In a six-page letter, former Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) detective James Stahlschmidt detailed allegations of academic dishonesty, abuse of taxpayer and charity funds, retaliation, domestic violence and other forms of misconduct perpetrated by command staff at HCSO, which he claims can be “supported by internal investigations, prior disciplinary actions, civil lawsuits, public records, or statements from personnel involved.”
In a statement to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, Chronister pushed back on the letter and Stahlschmidt’s calls for the investigation, adding that he has full trust in HCSO’s Professional Standards Bureau to conduct an inquiry.
Stahlschmidt told CL that the letter has been sent to DeSantis, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, Tampa’s FBI office, Hillsborough County Commissioners and every sheriff’s office in the state.
“I think they need to step in and they need to look at criminal charges on all this,” Stahlschmidt told CL. “I mean, this is fraud at epic levels. These guys did this. They committed felonies according to state statutes and federal statutes.”
Stahlschmidt—who was a Hillsborough sheriff deputy for almost 20 years before retiring in 2018—is referring to the fallout after one of HCSO’s Chief Deputy Anthony Collins resigned last month when his wife reported him for “academic dishonesty.”
Emails from Collins’ wife, reviewed by WFLA, show Collins corresponded with a man named Robert Roush to complete his coursework at the FBI National Academy.
In a statement to CL, Chronister said that at this time, three employees are the subject of an internal affairs investigation related to Roush:
- Col. Christopher Rule
- Col. Michael Hannaford
- Capt. Zuleydis Stearns
Chronister said that HCSO will gather facts objectively and take appropriate action “based on evidence, not speculation.”
Additionally, Chronister told the Tampa Bay Times that Capt. Lora Rivera, who oversaw the sheriff’s professional standards bureau, resigned Thursday amid allegations she, too, had paid Roush to complete a work-related paper for her.
Stahlschmidt told CL that he still touts HCSO as a “premier police agency,” but that he had issues with Chronister early in his tenure.
“This guy reeks of corruption and improprieties and graft and bribery. Some of that is my own belief, but also supported by certain things that I’ve heard from people closely connected,” he said. “He is in no manner the man that he portrays on TV. It’s just a shirt.”
There’s no love lost on Chronister’s part.
In his emailed statement to CL, Chronister called Stahlschmidt’s letter “sensational,” and said it “reads more like the rantings of a disgruntled former employee than a credible complaint.”
“Normally, I would not attempt to dignify such outlandish allegations coming from a struggling former employee whose career was fraught with complaints and internal affairs investigations, and whose timing seems suspicious,” Chronister added.
Chronister’s statement (available below) included a letter from one of his supporters, Carol Martin Makryllos, who said her family was harassed by Stahlschmidt.
“I am disappointed and frankly embarrassed to even respond to an email that reads more like the rantings of a disgruntled former employee than a credible complaint,” Chronister said. “I remain committed to accountability and transparency, which includes investigating employee misconduct. The integrity of this entire organization depends on confronting issues directly, uncovering truth, and taking appropriate action.”
Asked if he would be open to an outside, independent investigation of HCSO, Chronister told CL, “I have the utmost confidence that our Professional Standards Bureau is fully capable of conducting a thorough, comprehensive and objective investigation into these allegations, it’s exactly what they specialize in.”
Gov. DeSantis’ office has not responded to CL’s inquiries about whether it will investigate HCSO amid the recent fallout.
Lieutenant Gov. Jay Collins, has also not responded to similar inquiries.
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This article appears in Oct. 2 – 8, 2025.